More Petcock Confusion

[SpidyJ]

OK so I did the Dan Marc/Pingle thing.
1999 I/S
Last night my reserve light is blinking.........I think I have 1.something gallons in reserve once I move the Pingle to the center "reserve" position.

WRONG!!

I run out of gas!
My wife brings me some gas about a gallon or so......then I fill up with 5.3 gallons more at the pump.

So..........the pingle draws from the bottom all the time?  Did I get the positions wrong?

Wuzup?

[BamaDrifter64]

My understanding of the Pingle is that when you hit reserve with it, you are lucky to get another 12 - 15 miles before you run out of gas.  You can put a taller brass tube on it to increase your reserve.  Search the tech section - search is your friend!

Dave

[gordonv]

I've said it before, once doesn't make a pattern.

You might not have had your petcock seated properly, allowing fuel to flow from the reserve and feed the carbs, till you ran out.

So, check your petcock dial, make sure it's loose, and if you have had it off recently make sure you have your proper positions set up.

Cycle through the positions, and drive the bike again. Make sure you feel those positions when you turn the dial.

I always checked my petcock when I went 10 miles over my normal reserve mileage, cycled throuth the positions, then set it back to run. Usually I would start running out of fuel shortly, then switch to reserve, and I was a happy camper.

[Ricky-D]

The Pingle petcock will still leave you a gallon or more in the tank when switching to reserve.

Ought to be at least equal to 30 or more miles.

There are other factors that can affect the remaining mileage.

Being sure you have fully moved the lever is paramount to having a reserve in waiting.

***

[Chrisj CMA]

My Pingel gives me less than 20 miles on reserve.  I rarely let it hit reserve.  I know how many miles I can go and I set the trip meter to zero when I fill up.  If I am getting close to the 150 mile mark and I know there is a gas station within 5 -10 miles or so I may choose to let it go on reserve just to run the tank down low every once in a while, but the  short reserve is only an issue if you rely on the reserve.  That just never seemed wise to me even when I had the OEM.  Makes more sense to me to watch the miles and fill up at a number can live with.  I start looking for gas when I go over 100 miles on a tank, and deffinetly stop by 140 or 150

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

I've said it before, once doesn't make a pattern.

You might not have had your petcock seated properly, allowing fuel to flow from the reserve and feed the carbs, till you ran out.

So, check your petcock dial, make sure it's loose, and if you have had it off recently make sure you have your proper positions set up.

Cycle through the positions, and drive the bike again. Make sure you feel those positions when you turn the dial.

I always checked my petcock when I went 10 miles over my normal reserve mileage, cycled throuth the positions, then set it back to run. Usually I would start running out of fuel shortly, then switch to reserve, and I was a happy camper.

Yep.

[SpidyJ]

It's a Pingel not an OEM.

I figger it out next time I take the tank off.

Thanks for the advice.

[Hoser]

I've never hit reserve if I get gas at 150-160.  Yeah it's a pingle, and I like it fine.  I hear it has 1/2 gallon reserve, that's ok with me.  Hoser  

[fudgie]

I think its like chris said, 20 miles. I ran out of resv at 8 miles but was pulling trailer, 2 up. I was only getting 22-25 mpg anyway.

[Rocketman]

The Pingle petcock will still leave you a gallon or more in the tank when switching to reserve.

???
I don't know where you got this.  Everything I've read says ~1/2 gallon.  On my I/S, I got 17 miles out of the reserve (yes, it ran out that day), and under similar conditions I get ~30-32 mpg.  Not that that is a scientific test, but it seems to be way less than 1 gallon to me.

As for positions:  Forward is off.  Aft is on.  Middle is reserve.  Sounds like you got them right.

Mark

[Mildew]

Lol, the valk doesn't pass too many gas stations. I know when I go on a charity ride, the valks are the first to hit the gas station

[JetDriver]

OK so I did the Dan Marc/Pingle thing.
1999 I/S
Last night my reserve light is blinking.........I think I have 1.something gallons in reserve once I move the Pingle to the center "reserve" position.

WRONG!!

I run out of gas!
My wife brings me some gas about a gallon or so......then I fill up with 5.3 gallons more at the pump.

So..........the pingle draws from the bottom all the time?  Did I get the positions wrong?

Wuzup?

The only thing I can think of, Spidyj, is that maybe you didn't have the selector fully in the "on" position.  If it were somewhere between "on" and "reserve," perhaps it was able to draw from the lower opening, which would have been your reserve supply.  The pingle does not draw from the bottom all the time, only when the lower reserve port is open.  And, unless you have extended the fuel stem as others have described, when you DO go to reserve (and it functions properly) you'll have considerably less than a gallon remaining.  But, as also has been said, one event doesn't mean it's broke, just in need of further investigation.  

[Jruby38]

I too ran out with the manual Pingle, switched to reserve and had none.  I did some testing at home. I took the tank off with about 3 gal.  In normal run (lever back) gas will run fast out but it does not stop completly, gas continues to flow with a fast drip that will not stop.  My Valk will keep running on the fast drip. I think on a slow ride the tank completly drains dry without knowing it.

[JetDriver]

I too ran out with the manual Pingle, switched to reserve and had none.  I did some testing at home. I took the tank off with about 3 gal.  In normal run (lever back) gas will run fast out but it does not stop completly, gas continues to flow with a fast drip that will not stop.  My Valk will keep running on the fast drip. I think on a slow ride the tank completly drains dry without knowing it.

Is the slow drip from the reserve port?

[Chattanooga Mark]

Just curious, if you installed the Dan Marc fuel valve, why did you also install the Pingel?

Thanks,

Mark

[MP]

Just curious, if you installed the Dan Marc fuel valve, why did you also install the Pingel?

Thanks,

Mark

I did that on my sidecar 01 IS rig, Mark.  I just leave the pingal on all the time.  The DanMarc cuts the fuel off.  I have engine side covers on, and is VERY hard to get to the valve.  Eliminates the vac feature failing.  Wanted a valve to shut off the tank fuel when I remove the tank.

MP

[Chiefy]

Just curious, if you installed the Dan Marc fuel valve, why did you also install the Pingel?

Thanks,

Mark

There is also a route to hydrolock via gas leaking down the vacuum line to carb 6.  The Dan Marc by itself doesn't eliminate that route.  It sounds like over kill, but when you see the number of posts here from folks who've experienced hydrolock, maybe it's not.

[Chattanooga Mark]

Maybe I should add a one way valve to my oem petcock vacuum line. I just installed the Dan Marc a couple of weeks ago.

Thank You,

Mark